Mommy and lifestyle blog

Importance of sleep for children

February 19, 2018

Kids now days are busier than adults with their super fast lifestyle. Be it school or their favourite activities, all of them want to be the best at what they do. But for proper growth of their mind and bodies, a healthy sleep pattern is required. For our mind and body to co-ordinate with each other. This is one of the most important things that we require.

We all know that the benefits of good rested mind and body are endless. Children who get adequate sleep can concentrate more on all activities better whereas children with deprived sleep show signs of lack of concentration, temper tantrums, behavioural problems and a lot more.

WAYS IN WHICH SLEEP AFFECTS YOUR CHILD

MENTAL HEALTH – Ever wondered how cranky and moody we all get if we haven’t had adequate sleep? Well is it exactly the case with children, of course a little more serious. Lack of it can trigger emotions like sadness and aggression. As a result of this the child always seems to be zoned out.

It is also proven that while they sleep, their brains process and consolidate memories, helping children to remember the important things in life. In contrast, losing sleep makes them more likely to make silly mistakes and impairs problem solving and focus, as brain neurons aren’t able to function on the right track.

PHYSICAL HEALTH –

Adequate sleep allows our body to rejuvenate and relax through repairing tissue, boosting the muscle mass, releasing growth hormones and maintaining a strong immune system. On the other hand, sleep-deprived children are much more prone to common colds and flu.

If a child gets adequate sleep and rest, he/she is more likely to perform better in school too. A body that is well rested will be higher on energy than others. A well rested body is actually an asset.

LIST OF THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO TO GET YOUR CHILD TO SLEEP BETTER

LIMITING THE INTAKE OF SUGAR AND CAFFEINE – A little sweet treat or a can of some aerated drink may upset the routine completely. Sugar and caffeine are two of the most hyper active ingredients.

LIMIT TECHNOLOGY BEFORE BED – Whether your children are chatting to their friends, playing games or watching their favourite show, technology is making it harder for all of us to sleep. Turn off all technology an hour or so before the kids bedtime. Instead, they could listen to an audio book or relaxing music, take a warm bath etc.

KNOWING THE AMOUNT OF SLEEP REQUIRED – It is said that a child’s sleep decreases 15 minutes every year. Toddlers need around 12-14 hours per day, primary school-aged children should get 10-12 hours and teens will usually want 9 hours. For grown ups it’s mostly an 8 hour rest cycle that is required.

With this information and a few ways to keep children in a good routine, I hope it would be helpful to you. Do let me know in the comments if you also maintain some kind of routine with your little ones.